St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-23
He was falling forward, when the sheriff
and Blake caught him.
When they laid him down he was dead.

Under the direction Of the court, on the
suggestion Of the prosecutor, the jury, sitting
II their box, rendered a verdict Of Not
Guilty" And my client, scarcely able to
take in the rapidly shifting events, was dis
charged amidst the congratulations Of the
people who just now were witness
ing the progress Of the trial, not doubt
ing his guilt.
Blake was happier than his benefactor, by
so much as he was more capable Of Joy and
suffering.
For myself can recall, even now, the
supreme sense Of triumph felt as ! saw the
pleasant faces Of the spectators a. they looked
upon Blake and myself silently clasping each
others hands.
But this feeling Of triumph was not, how
ever, unmixed For many days the face of
the dead witness was RARELY absent from my
mind.
| fancied there was something inexpres
sblv pathetic and pitiable in it as recalled
its aspect.
INSTITUTED the most searching inquiry as
to the mans antecedents. All that could
learn from his neighbors was that he had
come into the neighborhoOd some two years
before and lived alone in the cabin, mendlng
shoes and reading; but mixing rarely with
his neghbors and never speaking OF his past
1t was known to the neigh bOrs that he and
the murdered man had come from the same
neighborhood in Pennsylvania, but if the
two men had anything to do with each other
no one knew it, though they had been OBJ
served to speak in salutation when meeting
in the presence of others.
At length, from the papers Of Carr,
learned the name Of the postottice in Penn
sylvania, from the neighborhood of which 1t
was supposed the two had come. l addressed
a letter to the postmaster, making such in
quiry as hoped would elicit the desired in
formation Later I received the following
answer:
July %, 1s65-Dear Sir: letter addressed
by you to the P. VI. here containing certain in
quiries concerning the past history of Mr.;
Hagan, formerly resident here, has been handed
to me, to be answered or not, as might deem
proper.
postmaster's conduct when tell you that the
person mentioned, Mr.. John Hagan, was my
uncle. Had your letter contained nothing
evincing more than idle curiosity. | should not
have answered it, But that it does and the
wish to place my poor uncle's character in
better light, led me to recur, once more, to as
sad chapter of family history as was ever
written.
You will excuse me if use the fewest words
possible in recting these principal facts.
NY uncle's wife died years ago. leaving him
with the care of an infant daughter. He never
married again, but devoted his life to rearing
and educating this daughter. David Carrs
closest friend. The result was that the two
children, my cousin and David, were from
early childhood constantly together; played
together, studied together, my uncle teaching
them.
When grown, young Carr's attentions to my
cousin were such as to lead my uncle and
Davids father to understand that the young
people were engaged. fact quite satisfactory
to both parents David appeared to be an
honest youth and thoroughly IN love with the
girl
lection was interposed. The day for the nup-
tials was fixed, Out when it arrived young Carr
was missing
It soon transpired that he had ruined and
betrayed the poor girl. A few days after this
discovery my uncle found his child in the attic
of his house dead She had hanged herself.
This blow dethroned my uncle's reason, and
he was sent for time to an asylum for the in
sane, from which, however, he was after some
months discharged as cured. He disposed OF
his property and disappeared, and though
endeavOred in every way to learn OF his
whereabouts heard nothing from or of him
until saw in Cincinnati paper an account OF
the murder trial and of his death on the wit
ness-stand when confronted with the evidence
of his guilt.
The fact that he had long been suffering
from heart trouble accounts for what can
but regard the fortunate sudden ending OF my
unhappy uncles life.
ecuted the assassination OF the wretch and
villain Carr have not the slightest doubt.
Hoping that you will make such use OF this
as will best serve to soften the opinions OF
those cognizant of the killing, in relation to
my poor uncle,
JABEz HAGEN, NJ. D.